Arie Luyendyk Jr.: "I Passed on" Being the Next Bachelor

Arie Luyendyk, Jr. was dumped by BacheloretteEmily Maynard this spring on ABC, but the 30-year-old race car driver wasn't interested in getting a second shot at love as the network's next Bachelor.

"I passed on Bachelor this season, just to concentrate on racing," Luyendyk toldUs Weeklyat Thursday's Los Angeles Confidential Magazine Pre-Emmy party in West Hollywood. Intending to resume his career as a professional driver, the former reality TV contestant -- whose rejection of the spinoff gave way for Roberto Martinez and Sean Lowe to be considered -- credits his time on The Bachelorette with helping him refocus his priorities.

"I've moved on from the Bachelor franchise and I'm doing well. When I was in that environment, I gained a lot of clarity on what I wanted to do in life and for me it really made me just focus on my career when I got out," says Luyendyk. "That's my first love and I'm pursuing that right now."